For that reason, the commonest urinary tract infection in a woman is due to E.coli, a common bowel organism. This is an infection often acquired by germs that live in the bowel extending up to the vagina and then the urethra and from there up into the bladder. The commonest urinary tract infection in women involves an infection within the bladder also known as cystitis. Urinary tract infections are most commonly associated with pain, irritation and burning on passing urine. Recurrent bacterial vaginosis may require prolonged treatment and maintenance therapy and it is important to discuss this with your doctor.

Lowering the pH or making the vagina more acidic with a gel called Aci-Jel is also a legitimate treatment for bacterial vaginosis. It can also be treated using a cream called clindamycin – though it’s important to realise that the use of vaginal or oral probiotics have been shown to be ineffective. The exact treatment of bacterial vaginosis involves the use of a specific antibiotic called metronidazole. Though thankfully, bacterial vaginosis is primarily treated because of the unpleasant symptoms that can be associated with it, as it’s not harmful to the body in any other way. If the vagina becomes more alkaline this promotes the growth of anaerobes and can result in bacterial vaginosis.īacterial vaginosis results in unpleasant symptoms, primarily excess discharge which often has a fishy odour and the discharge itself can be irritating when it contacts the vulval skin. Usually, the vagina is acidic due to the release of acidic discharge associated with lactobacilli. Lactobacilli prevents the multiplication of an abnormal number of anaerobes within the vagina and prevents the symptoms of bacterial vaginosis.īacterial vaginosis results in the acidity of the vagina being reduced. These are germs that do not require oxygen for their multiplication and are counteracted by the healthy germs within the vagina called lactobacilli. The exact cause of bacterial vaginosis is unknown but what we do know is that it is due to an overgrowth of germs that exist normally in the vagina called anaerobes.

Bacterial vaginosis is the commonest vaginal infection in women post-puberty and pre-menopause.

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